THE SCHEME OF THINGS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 14

THE SCHEME OF THINGS

• I (By M.H.C.) Some very amusing comment was made by a recent writer on a former announcement made by' Sir Arthur Keith, before his remarkable statement about the brain. Sir Arthur seems to . have said that he had "definite and irrefutable proof" of the evolution of man from monkeys. "Unfortunately," remarks the critic, ','for his purpose he attempted to fix the time of tho great divergence that is alleged to have turned the stream into two, man for the ono side, and monkey for the other. He said that this was 'about 200,000. years ago,' and then added, 'or it; might havo been 600,000.' It would look to the unprejudiced observer as if science must be very vague and imprecise if definite and important conclusions can so loosely bo arrived at! Tho other matter concerning which the positive Sir Keith is making spectacular pronouncements is the human brain. Tho layman naturally thinks ' that science, like art, is "long and time as fleeting,", and that the really learned man would realise that finality cannot be come to in any department of art or science, but that tho wonders of the universe and man arc always being unfolded to the earnest student. Life is ono long search for truth to any individual with brain power worth mentioning, and the marvellous achievements of the past thirty years ought to demonstrate to people that, tho supposedly impossible can and does happen over and over again. It is difficult to imagine that the last word in brain study has been arrived at, and if Sir Arthur Keith cannot find any trace of spirit behind the brain, perhaps some great man a hundred years— or one year—hence may find that elusive and intricate "link divine." The pity is that people whose opinions carry weight should make such assertions, and loosen tho hold of humanity on a great inducement for decency of life ,in its every department. Naturally, ' only those whose opinions are easily 'swayed will be affected by that of one, '■or a dozen men, be they ever jo learned. Perhaps there is a little want of in the matter, and the cry of:;Festus to i St. Paul comes in again, "Much learning hath made thee mad." .; A remark was made by Miss Eoy'den in her recent address given at the ;Town Hal], when speaking about the morals of the younger generation, that •she did "not know exactly what their jnoral code was," and she went on to ;qualify it by stating that she excepted .those of some young people with whom Ishe was well acquainted. But sho was sure that they were not going to accept those of the older people who were away from the world, and she instanced, some of tho most glaring ' .faults which she hoped were not going :-to be carried on much longer. It'is a growing opinion among people generally, particularly among those who do .any kind of social service, that a crusade is necessary to-day towards the moral attitude of the ordinary man. ft was suggested at a recent meeting of social workers, met.to try and formulate somo reasonable plan of action to get a better morality, that if almost any man was asked for his code of morals, he would be "considerably flabbergasted" and unable to answer, for the probability is that he would not have thought about the subject in connection with himself, though ho might be quite ready to point out the faults of.other men. .But a steady'prevailing principle, specially towards the other sex, is not thought out by many. And yet, with each sex, it is the most important sneial subject there is. On these principles hang' the safety and welfare of every nation. What is needed'in the immediato present is a new outlook on the part of men, old and young, towards girls and women. For their own sake, and those of the womenkind, it would be well if they could grow a. strength of character and principle which would make them immune to attempts by weak-moraled and' giddy- ' pated womenkind to use sex attraction to their own downfall and that of the men. "It is necessary," said a Southern Magistrate a few days ago, "to .protect young girls even against theni: selves," and he therefore gave a considerable reformative sentence to a young man of twenty who offered as an.' excuse for his conduct that a girl of fourteen "consented." It is time that tho "stronger sex" took on a fiuer responsibility towards these matters, and it is just a matter of education, for it is only necessary to look at the beautiful faces and eyes of little children to see that if they are continually led and taught in'the right direction they will grow up fine, clean-minded, decently-behaved adults. If only parents would act up to the teaching of such people as Miss Eoyden, and quite a' number of others who try to spread decent doctrines, there would bo a better world. If the boys and men demanded a higher standard of morals in girls, and women they would certainly get it. It is a pity that the tendency is to support the "double standard" still, and continue the evils which it inevitably carries with it. A writer in ah Englishwoman's paper las amused herself (and, surely, her public) by collecting from many sources ■information given to women recently about fashion. Sho 'finds that simplicity is to be the dominant note of the season. In tho same breath it is announced that "exquisitely jewelled materials are the vogue, and that the Parisian ballrooms and theatres are flcintillating masses of wonderful. colourings in sparkling materials." "The simplicity," says the writer, "is carried to perfumes, and if a girl cannot bring down her bird, or reduce her golf handicap she can at least perfume herself "with the essence of new-mown hay!" Then again, "the boyish type is nearly dead," but at the same timo girls are refusing to be decorated with tho-bunches of false curls that the fashionable hairdressers arc putting forward as tlie latest thing; Hair is being grown—it is not being grown. Frocks aro shorter; they are longer; they arc bundled, and they are slim. "What is truth?" asked the writer, and concludes with the remark that the outside 'edge of anything she has extracted from her papers is "that it looks better if tho rouge and thr lipstick are the same shade, but that a very chic effect is gained for evening by the use of a faint shade of purple for the rouge and yellow on the lips." After this, who would read a collection of fashion papers? Better to keep to one and keep sane, surely.